Alex Marque, who won this year's Tour of Portugal, will make his debut in the top ranks of pro cycling next year with Movistar. The Spanish WorldTour team announced that it has signed the Spanish rider for the coming season.

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Marque, 31, has spent his entire ten-year career with Continental-ranked Portuguese teams, and is now with OFM - Quinta da Lixa. In 2012 he won the opening stage of the Vuelta a Asturias in a long solo breakaway. This year he was third in the Spanish national time trial championship.

At this year's race in Portugal, he had three top ten finishes and went into the penultimate stage time trial in fourth place, only 38 seconds down. He won that stage to take the overall lead, which he easily retained in the closing stage.

He has been “a renowned time triallist since becoming a pro, yet excelled in the last few seasons as an all-rounder capable to get over the big mountains when in his best form, the Movistar press release said. “His proven ability as a rouleur (...) will make him become a crucial piece for Movistar Team as the Pontevedra-based rider debuts in the elite calendar.”

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